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(312) 243-3600
230 S Ashland Ave
Chicago,
IL
60607
41.8785
-87.6666
Neighborhoods: Near West Side, West Side
What People Are Saying About Cafe Penelope & Penny's Pizza
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
In Short – In a gritty neighborhood on the near West Side, this sunny, homey storefront cafe has peach walls, pastel table coverings and green plants in the windows. For breakfast, there are omelettes, skillets, whole-wheat pancakes and Belgian waffles. The lunch menu includes brown-bag lunches (sandwiches served with fruit and a cookie), plus hearty rotating specials like meat loaf. Dinner highlights include thin-crust pizza and a grilled rib eye steak sandwich.
07/13/08
Bad food, bad service, avoid like the plague.
by jkerouac at Citysearch
I have no idea how this dumpy place could be voted "Best Brunch in Chicago." Possibly the worst in the city. On Sunday morning, there was nobody there (kinda odd). I was given a dinner menu, and had to ask for the breakfast one. The "special item" was chai french toast, so I decided to try it. Unfortunately, it was smothered in gobs of butter that were inedible. I asked for some milk with my coffee, but they said they had no milk delivered that week?! My brunch buddy ordered a "breakfast sandwich", which I could've made at home by taking 2 pieces of wheat bread and spreading avocado all over. For $20, I was ripped off. Please don't waste your time at Penelope, and don't embarrass yourself by taking a date there!
- Pros: fresh squeezed orange juice w/ garnish
- Cons: ambiance, food, price
05/18/08
Worst Brunch in Chicago...
by jingmama at Citysearch
I never EVER write reviews; but felt compelled after an unbelievably horrendous brunch experience at Penelope's. So unlike the other 2 reviewers who hated this place, I did not have high expectations (I later found out this place was voted "best audience brunch 2007 of chicago). What a JOKE! We arrived at 11am on a gorgeous Sunday morning. There was no line at all, which I thought was odd, because every other decent-to-average brunch place has about a 20-40 minute wait. We got sat down immediately which was nice. Problem number 2 - the service was horrible. Our waiter (who may have been the busboy), poured us water and said, "let me give you a couple of minutes to decide on what you want." He promptly left before I could ask him to get me any coffee. Oh well, no big deal, i'll just order it when we order our meals. The menu was really small (single page, really large font), which I actually don't mind. I prefer places that just have a few items they do REALLY well...rather than a restaraunt that has alot of items in which several of them are bad. So I ordered pancakes with cranberriesand my gf ordered caprese egg benedict. I also ordered a 2 eggs over-easy. So the server comes back after 10 minutes just to make sure he got my order correctly. So there were literally only 2 other tables at the whole restaurant and it took a good half an hour for our food to be ready. The coffee came in the meantime and it was just average. Our food finally arrived and my pancakes came with strawberries, not cranberries. No big deal, I'll just eat it...and my eggs came later...sunny side up...I had ordered over-easy. Whatever, no big deal. Then I realized that 2 of my 3 pancakes were burnt...and by this moment I was getting upset. My Gf's meal was also luke-warm. The table across from us got mad too 'cuz one of their orders was messed up and their "hot tea" came cold. STAY AWAY! DON'T EVER EAT HERE! Instead, Go to Sweet Maple on Taylor St.
- Pros: Parking
- Cons: Horrible food (either burnt or cold), incompetent service, lacks heating.
01/27/08
great brunch, fantastic pizza!
by k2frank at Citysearch
Penelope's is THE spot we go to anytime we're in the mood for brunch. My boyfriend and I stumbled upon it one morning, and have completely forgotten about the possibility of eating brunch anywhere else. I absolutely LOVE the crabcakes benedict with the potatoes (although the broccoli hash is an interesting alternative), and my bf usually gets one of the huge omlettes. We're usually so stuffed afterwards that we don't look at food until way past our normal dinner time. Ulike other reviewers, we have never had to wait more than 10 minutes from the time we sit down till the time our waitress brings the food piping hot to our table. Another notable aspect of Penelope's menu is the pizza. I used to be a deep-dish fan until I had Penny's pizza. It's a light, crispy crust, and they offer a variety of toppings, most of which I had not seen before. I personally still find the classic sausage and mushroom to be the best. Friday nights they also have drink specials, like $1.99 margaritas and even cheaper beer! The only thing I would improve is their weekend hours. We have tried to come in for a pizza on a Saturday and Sunday afternoon/evening and they were closed! Sad! The hours had been removed from the window sign, and the website said they were open. Overall, this little restaurant has a big taste to offer, and I highly recommend it!
- Pros: delicious brunch and pizza
- Cons: It's cold inside in the winter!!!
The Details on Cafe Penelope & Penny's Pizza
What to Drink:
Though it feels like a diner, full cocktail service is available, along with a nice beer and wine selection. Try the Blue Paradise (rum, blue Curacao and pineapple juice), served in a martini glass.
The Extras:
Catering is available to order online. Check out the web site to see a variety of box lunches.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Local Favorite, Breakfast, Family-Friendly Dining, Late Night Dining, Quiet, Food Delivery, Cheap Eats
Cuisine:
Smoking Permitted:
Yes
